Grasping Evil: The Final Showdown
by Gadget 151
Summary: Pendergast Novels final part of my 3 part series. Pendergast finally gets his hands on his brother Diogenes. This story is very dark and invovles torture and suicide. You were warned. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

"Grasping Evil: The Final Showdown."

**Author's Note- this story is tinged all over with Laurell K. Hamilton's concept of the audeur, sex magic. If it offends you then don't read. If it doesn't offend you, enjoy. Also, this story evolves ****torture**** and ****suicide****, you were forewarned. Pendergast, Proctor and Diogenes belong to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Kel and Brett belong to me. DISCLAIMER. **

I swung my gun hand, making sure to hit Diogenes hard enough to knock him out and it connected with his forehead. It was only fair, considering what he'd done to Charles. Proctor caught him before he could fall onto me and dosed him with god-only-knew what to keep him unconscious until I decided otherwise. I helped Proctor maneuver him to the wall, where I'd installed shackles the day before.

Dear brother was heavier than I'd expected him to be and Proctor had to help me while I shackled his wrists above his head. I gave him enough slack to take most of the weight off his shoulders but not enough for him to reach out to touch me. He'd grown over the years, four inches taller than me, and so much wider through the shoulders and chest than he'd been when we were children

"Sir," Proctor said at my side. "What do you need of me?"

"Just hang back over there," I said, waving my hand behind me. "Stop me if I take this too far."

"Yes sir,"

I wasn't sure how far I even planned to take my revenge, but for measures of my own safety, I handed Proctor my gun, drawling my knife instead. I stepped up to Diogenes, evading his space and touched his wide chest, running my hand down his front until I came to his belt. My hand started to drift lower with my need to cause him pain; I wasn't ready to start with my knife yet.

A large hand suddenly grabbed my wrist, jerking me off balance and away from my brother. "Sir," Proctor said. "Aloysius don't do that to him. I can understand your hatred, but…Don't; that's beyond even his level of madness."

I slowly pulled my hand free, knowing he was right and almost not caring. But… he was my brother, I couldn't touch him like that, couldn't humiliate him like that, because I knew that was worse than anything he'd do to him victims. Brother was evil, a murderer, but he had never been a rapist, not with our history. And if I could bring myself to end him tonight he never would be.


	2. Chapters 2 & 3

**Author's Note- this story is tinged all over with Laurell K. Hamilton's concept of the audeur, sex magic. If it offends you then don't read. If it doesn't offend you, enjoy. Also, this story evolves ****torture**** and ****suicide****, you were forewarned. Pendergast, Proctor and Diogenes belong to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Kel and Brett belong to me. DISCLAIMER. **

Part 2

Proctor went back to his dark corner when he realized I wouldn't hurt Diogenes in that manner. He knew I intended to kill Diogenes tonight, he just didn't know that I also intended to torture him a little first. Everything he'd done everything he'd taken away; I had to make him suffer. Then maybe I could be at peace, maybe the people he'd killed, the families he'd ruined, maybe they could be at peace too.

The knife was in my hand now and I found myself examining it; staring at the edge, then looking up at brother. Was it sharp enough? Was it even the right kind of knife for what I had in mind? Only one way to find out, I decided finally and used the tip of the blade to spread open his shirt, cutting away the buttons.

I heard Proctor step toward me and I held my hand out behind me. "That's not what I'm going to do," I assured him, eyes never leaving Diogenes' chest.

Diogenes was golden, which struck me as odd, I remembered him being as pale as myself; paleness ran in our family like blue eyes. But here brother was, with a golden tan. He was built too, muscled like I was muscled but he was so much larger than me that he seemed like a giant. If I hadn't remembered what he used that body for, I could have admired how well he took care of himself. But he'd been using that body to kill for nearly thirty years now…

I weighed the knife in my hand before I struck him across the face with my free, empty hand. He stirred, but only slightly so I hit him again and this time his eyes fluttered a bit.

"Brother?" I murmured. "Wake up; as you would say, it's time for some fun…"

Part 3

I held the knife next to his ear and his foot lashed out suddenly. I caught it, pushed it out to the side of him and brought my knee swiftly up into his groin; nailing him perfectly. Brother doubled over and I let his foot go, he was hurting too much now, so trying to kick me would be useless. I would only knee him again anyway. Still, I should have though to restrain his legs…

Diogenes gasped for breath and I leaned my cheek against his neck. I breathed in his strange, enigmatically intoxicating scent; something like black licorice and iron and tea. I was only vaguely away of my surprise that Proctor was silent and not chiding me for standing so close; I snorted to myself. For someone that had worked with me so long, the man had a few too many scruples.

I scratched the knife-tip against his ear absently; thinking. There had always been a minuscule urge to let go and be as feral as brother, as evil. But I had successfully avoided that urge for years. Now that darkness inside me had accelerated to a dangerous level in my thoughts and brother was the perfect person to take those urges out on. Darkness swallowing darkness to regain its own light. What ever that made of me, I hadn't the slightest idea.

I caught a look of myself in the reflective surface of the blade; the silver of my eyes haloed pupils that were wide and crazed. "See what you've done to me brother?" I asked Diogenes.

He was silent and again I pressed the knife against his skin; angry so very, very angry. At him, at myself, at our parents, Proctor- everyone. And I couldn't figure out why. "I asked you a question brother…" I hissed at him.

"Frater," He chuckled. "What do you think you're doing?"

I didn't say anything, maybe I couldn't; I just backhanded him across the mouth. He tried to twist away but the shackles held him in place and he seemed to notice them for the first time. He looked over at them, gave them a test-pull, and only got an inch or two of give for his efforts.

I smiled at him, not a nice smile, devious. I was the cat that got the canary and had kicked the dog's ass and I wanted brother to know. I held the knife up for him to see, waved it in front of his eyes.

"What was it you said to me after the fire?" I asked him. "Oh; that you were going to commit a single crime; a single and terrible crime. How many people did you murder last year brother? I remember you asking me what you were going to do while you cried on my shoulder…"

"I was only a child, Aloysius." Diogenes said. "You made me so furious that day, brother. I just wanted-"

"What brother?" I asked. "What did you want?"

"Protection! I wanted you to act like my brother; I wanted you to protect me, to offer comfort! I had to go to Charles for what you wouldn't give me…"

"And you killed him too!" I screamed, waving the knife closer to his face. "My only true friend and you-!" I was so enraged so very enraged.

Diogenes laughed at me and once again I backhanded him, this time I did it more than once, at some point I even punched him. When Proctor pulled me away, he wasn't laughing any more, instead trying to fall to his knees; the shackles holding him in place mercilessly.

I looked at him, blood falling from his torn lip. "Unchain him," I told Proctor. "I want to tie him to something else, his legs too this time."

"Sir-"

"Damn it Proctor, just do what I asked!" I shrieked at him and he finally let me go. When Diogenes had been freed he turned to me, started to say something and I kicked him before he could. He crumpled to the floor, out cold before Proctor could catch him. I sat on the floor, catching my breath while Proctor made another rig to hold Diogenes in place.

I wiped the sweat off my face with the back off my hand, smelt copper on the knuckles; brother's blood. I almost gagged, I hadn't expected this to effect me like it was, and I had hoped to steel myself against it. I needed to be strong, I needed to hurt him, like he had hurt Helen and Constance and Margo and Charles. I had to hurt him, had to wound him like he'd wounded them and me. It was only practical.


	3. Chapters 4 & 5

**Author's Note- this story is tinged all over with Laurell K. Hamilton's concept of the audeur, sex magic. If it offends you then don't read. If it doesn't offend you, enjoy. Also, this story evolves ****torture**** and ****suicide****, you were forewarned. Pendergast, Proctor and Diogenes belong to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Kel and Brett belong to me. DISCLAIMER. **

…Part 4

It was always a fleeting touch, like the kiss of a birds' feather across his lips. It didn't feel like what it really was; a knife biting into his skin. Diogenes still wasn't sure how he'd even come to be in this situation; torture at dear brother's hands. If torture was what Aloysius wanted to call it; he'd been hit before, and true, Aloysius had the power for it. But he lacked a lot of the temperament, he didn't want to hurt him, he was only striking because he'd lost control of his temper. Diogenes knew you had to like the act of hurting to be good at it, and brother just didn't have it in him to hurt for pleasure; he was all about the necessity.

Another of those little cuts, this one on his upper arm. Aloysius was kneeling beside his prone form, sometimes he laid on the floor next to him too. _At least,_ Diogenes reflected, _I'm on my back in stead of standing, otherwise, that might've hurt. Brother, why do you feel the need to do this?_

If he could have voiced these thoughts, he would have, but Aloysius had tied a strip of cloth over his mouth. Aloysius had started talking incoherently half an hour ago, when he'd started cutting with the knife, up until then, it was like he'd been debating or perhaps planning on how and where to use the knife. The first cut had been on Diogenes' lower stomach, next to his navel and he'd gasped with the sheer surprise of being cut. He had thought Aloysius would just talk, ramble on and actually he was, but then something had struck him and the knife had flashed before biting into his skin.

He'd gasped and brother had lost it, trying to stop the flow of blood and Diogenes had laughed. All he had received was another kick in the nuts and a cloth gag. Brother was laying next to him again, the hand with the knife holding down Diogenes' bound hands while the other hand was toying with the blood of the first cut on his stomach. It was strange to be touched by Aloysius, and at the same time, as much as he hated it, brother's touch was also exhilarating, a little heady on the side. He breathing deepened almost painfully slow as Aloysius teased open the wound and let more blood flow. Heating against his will.

…

The blood was sticky under my fingers, I wasn't sure why that alone bothered me; blood was supposed to be sticky. What should have bothered me was Diogenes stretched out helplessly and bleeding at my knees, not his blood all over my hands, or the slowing of his breathing. I wanted to dig the knife into him, but knew if I did that this would end quickly and I wanted it to last.

Blood coated my fingertips, trapped under my nails, and was smeared on my right wrist. And it all belonged to Diogenes; that was a first. That the blood covering me wasn't my own; it was a new sensation. I didn't like that feeling much but I didn't hate it either. I was growing hot, my audeur rising as Diogenes started to push his own sex magic to the surface, trying to heal him. The audeur was calling to me, begging mine to rise and give an intimate touch in answer and I-

Put my mouth in the blood on Diogenes' stomach, working my jaws, opening the wound even more. The coppery taste of his blood flowed over my tongue and I swallowed it. It was hot and- No!

I didn't do that, not to brother, even if it wasn't brother I wouldn't have done that anyway. I hated the taste of blood that had been something the audeur had planted in my head. Something it wanted me to do so it could feed off my energy. Not something I had done, thank you god, I couldn't live with myself if I had really touched brother that way.

I sat back on my butt, holding my head in my hands, taking deep breaths. Diogenes was withering in his chains, apparently the audeur was showing him sexual things too; I sighed. Brother's sex magic had always been more insistent than my own, even if I did have more power.

His spine bowed and he said our mother's name through the gag. I smacked him, held the knife to his throat, pressed down a little and Proctor jerked me away. He threw me to the ground and put his foot over my knife hand.

"Aloysius! Come back to yourself," He said.

"He said my mom's name!" I cried. "She-she hurt him. The audeur, the audeur, she was the first to raise it and she…hurt him…" I was crying by the time I finished the sentence and he put his hand on my shoulder.

As I spoke the memory flooded my senses. I had walked in on our mother bringing Diogenes into his sex-magic much the same way Charles had brought me into mine. I had heard him scream and when I opened the door he was on his back in our parents' bed while father tried to silence him and mother used her own magic. Diogenes had screamed and thrashed about as the audeur woke, bringing with it a glow that had almost blinded me. He'd gotten free of my father's hands and had cut open his skin with his nails, as if trying to claw out his new-found power. I remembered him convulsing and shivering in the wake of his audeur induced orgasm and I'd never been able to look at my parents after that. When Diogenes had recovered he had withdrawn even further into himself after the ordeal, spending days away from home and hours on end in the basement.

"Come back to yourself Aloysius." Proctor repeated softly and I shivered. "Take a deep breath; that was a long time ago. Just take a deep breath…"

I did, pulling the breath into my diaphragm through my mouth, holding it and then breathing out slowly through my nose. I repeated the process a few time until I felt better, let Proctor pull me to my feet.

"Maybe you should take a break," He suggested and I nodded absently.

I had to sit down again and I propped myself against his leg, my audeur had subsided. I cast my eyes over Diogenes' now limp and exhausted form; his audeur had left him too. I knew it was only momentarily satisfied with tasting the both of us at the same time, and I knew it wanted more. I really needed a break and if the audeur really would heal brother's minor wound then all the more fun to me.

…Part 5

Some time later Diogenes opened his eyes to Proctor pulling a large and warm blanket over him and then placing a pillow behind his head. Diogenes coughed, trying to turn onto his side before he remembered the chains. He groaned, fighting back a gasp when they rubbed his already raw wrists.

"Drink this," The big man murmured, holding a glass to his lips; Diogenes drank it down gratefully.

"Where's-"He coughed again. "Where's Aloysius?"

"Out," Was all he said then he left Diogenes alone.

He found after a few minutes that he was cold, and not just his body, but his mind too, was cold. The damn audeur, bringing back those memories he'd tried so hard to push away. The memory of the night his magic had been invoked against his will, his parent's hands on him and the startled look on brother's face. Aloysius hadn't even tried to help; he had just fallen backward against the wall and watched while Diogenes had remained helpless. He'd been trapped in the vice of his own power; defenseless to its will.

And then again, hours ago before he'd fainted, that had played again and again in his mind. And again, Aloysius had done nothing to stop it. But in reality, it didn't matter to him any more. He'd grown so much since that night and he understood that the audeur was a part of him and a weapon he could use if need be. He'd used it on Constance after all, although at the time it hadn't really been a piece of his plan; just something he'd decided to use while in the moment. Truthfully, he was surprised it worked as well as it had with that particular puzzle piece. It could have worked better than it did though…

…

I had always kept someone on the side for when I couldn't sate the audeur on my own; both a male and a female because the audeur always craved something different and I liked to keep it happy. After what it had showed me, I was craving warm and supple flesh to press against my own. So I went to Kel, knowing she would be home and that she liked to keep the audeur happy as much as I did.

I didn't know how, but somehow she knew I was coming to see her and she was waiting on the porch for me. Her feet were bare and propped on the banister. She was years younger than me, only into her mid twenties, slender like I was slender. But she was short, not even to the middle of my chest, she barely touched five feet. Her hair was dyed green and just long enough to caress her shoulders with a soft curl; the last time I'd seen her it had been blue.

"Hey," I greeted her.

"Hey yourself Pendergast," She said, standing up and embracing me.

I was awful at saying what I wanted or felt, so I let the audeur seep out from my shield, and felt it wrap around her. She looked up at me with eyes as equally green as her hair, the pupils were wide, and they widened still when I kissed her. I prayed she wouldn't turn me away, I desperately didn't want to go to Brett; my other feeder. She didn't, she lifted her hands and put them around my shoulders, standing on her toes to be closer to my height.

I pulled her tight into my chest, and her feet left the ground, legs wrapping around my waist. I carried her inside and we fell down on her sofa, I was on top, slowly removing her clothes while I pressed down against her. She pulled my shirt over my head, kissing my neck while she worked on my belt.

The audeur was starting to burn me, growing so hot I could feel the heat transferring onto Kel. I was inflamed, my body heating painfully, and Kel squirmed under my hands, moving against me before we were even nude, undulating into my hips. And I pulled away, taking her jeans with me, sliding my mouth over her thighs, up to her sensitive and swollen skin. Swelling myself, I put my mouth on her and flicked my tongue; she pulled at my hair.

Like me, Kel didn't need to turn on the lights to move around her home, and already I could see my shadow thrown on the wall. I was glowing- that was one of the ways the magic presented itself, a glow coming off my skin that lit up like a pixie in a glass jar. And the darkening of the eyes; hot as I was, my eyes had to be dark grey by now.

On my back beneath her now, Kel's teeth marched down the side of my neck onto my chest and over one nipple which she then sucked on. I busied my hands with the rest of my clothes, I knew she liked to undress me on her own and I liked it too, but I needed more contact and fast. I slid out of my pants and slid between her legs, kissing her mouth again while kneading her breasts with my hands. She leaned over me, removing my questing hands and took her kisses down the middle of my torso, down low on my belly and then lower still as her mouth wrapped around the part of me the audeur had settled in.

This was why I couldn't go to Brett; he always kept me at a low simmer while Kel took me to the boiling point and then pushed me over. That was what I'd been craving all day since the audeur had responded to brother; that was why I hadn't wanted her to deny me, why I'd wanted this so bad. Why I'd known Brett wouldn't be enough for me; I knew the audeur would only hurt him and not satisfy itself. With Kel, I'd get both satisfaction and I knew I wouldn't hurt her, I knew she wouldn't let me hurt her.

She left that part me, now slick with saliva, sweat and another fluid, and kissed back up my stomach. Tongue sliding in and around my navel, over my abs and once again up to suck at each nipple. She was in reach now and my hands went again to her breasts, kneading them, stroking her nipples, if she had been taller, I could have left my mark on her neck, but as it was she wasn't tall enough for that. She wasn't even quite tall enough for me to kiss her from this angle and I had to change the angle to get what I wanted.

I lifted her away from my lower body until I could kiss her mouth. She grabbed my jaw, holding me in place while she sucked on my lower lip, grazing it with her teeth. I pulled out of her grasp, leant her back to run my tongue between her breasts, slipping one hand between her legs. I stroked the nerve center and thrust inside, my head going back for just a moment.

"Oh," I moaned as the audeur flamed with white heat behind my eyes. Kel kissed me and started to move herself forward and back in my lap, her arms around my neck and fingers curling into my hair.

I thrust up into each of her movements, mouth pressed into her neck and my teeth pulling at her skin, leaving my mark on her like I'd wanted to. The audeur built; I let my tongue soothe the wound I'd made on her neck, once again leaning her back, tweaking our position to better the depth.

"Aloysius," She said and I pulled her back to me, kissed her, pushing my tongue past her lips as far as I could without choking her.

I came, groaning as my spine bowed and the audeur took its moment to explode my senses. Kel gripped my shoulders, still riding me and I drowned in pleasure, falling back against the arm of the sofa, feeling it pressing uncomfortably into mid-back. Still, she rode me until the audeur was completely out of my system, until the afterglow and endorphins had faded, then she collapsed against my heaving chest. I caressed her hair and we kissed again before disengaging from each other, pulling our clothes back on. It was always like this with her, she didn't want to be held, I think sex made her feel some sense of guilt. But we both knew we wouldn't be together were it not for my sex-magic.

We stood facing each other, neither of us saying anything for a moment, and then she stepped into me, hugging me tightly. God she was strong for some one so very small. When she pulled back again, her hands framed my face, after a moment, we kissed.

"You smell like blood Aloysius." She murmured and my anger flared; I forced it back down; she must have seen the blood under my nails…

"It's no one you know." I said, kissed her again and left.


	4. Chapters 6 & 7

**Author's Note- this story is tinged all over with Laurell K. Hamilton's concept of the audeur, sex magic. If it offends you then don't read. If it doesn't offend you, enjoy. Also, this story evolves ****torture**** and ****suicide****, you were forewarned. Pendergast, Proctor and Diogenes belong to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Kel and Brett belong to me. DISCLAIMER. **

…Part 6

Diogenes heard the door ease shut, then footsteps crossing the room to him. The blanket and pillow were pulled away with an angry force, and Aloysius stood over him.

Diogenes glared up at his older brother then he growled at him. "You've fed your audeur," He said. "That's not fair to me, dear brother; here I am chained, unable to sate myself… Unless, maybe you-"

Aloysius' foot connected solidly with his side and what he'd been about to say rushed out on a cry of pain. His foot had hit a wound the audeur had yet to heal completely and his hands jerked in the cuffs as he tried instinctively to pull away. But his wrists were still raw and tender; blood seeped from the wounds.

Brother knelt down beside him and traced his fingers through the blood. Diogenes caught his breath sharply; he'd been joking with Aloysius but now it seemed- by this strange and new behavior- that he had indeed fed the audeur on someone. He sniffed and smelt strawberries – _not brother's scent!_

"You-" Diogenes had to stop for a moment to breathe. "You smell like strawberries, that's a women's scent brother. Where have you been?"

"I've been out." Aloysius growled, giving off the feeling of finality, but Diogenes ignored that feeling.

"Fucking whom?" He pressed and suddenly, so suddenly that knife was in his flesh and tearing it open.

"I _fuck_ whom I please to brother," He said, dragging the blade along his brother's upper arm.

"What color's her hair now?" He pressed, unwilling to be quiet, needing to hear Aloysius' voice. "Blue? Pink? Or maybe green?"

"How-?"

Diogenes laughed hard, ignoring the pain of his new wounds. "Oh, I've known about her for a while brother. Spunky, _that_ one is, and so smart too." He gave it a moment before speaking. "How long is her hair now? Last time I saw her, she had it spiked atop her head."

Aloysius' expression changed, turning dark and dangerous and Diogenes realized he had made a very stupid mistake. The knife flashed in the air before descending and Diogenes stiffened, closing his eyes and preparing for the final blow.

"Sir!" Proctor called urgently and the knife stopped its decent as Aloysius turned.

"What?"

"The police have just called," He said. "It's about Kel, there's been-"

The elder Pendergast stood, following Proctor into the hall. Diogenes stilled; he'd never heard her name before.

…Part 7

I shut the car door, the lights of the police car reflected off the trees and the water of Kel's man-made pond. I flashed my badge and was led inside. It was just how I'd left it a day ago; her lights were still off- all except the one in the bathroom. A strange feeling settled in my gut as I followed the cop further into the house.

I smelt copper and I was reminded of my brother's blood under my nails; at least I'd washed my hands. The cop handed me a piece of paper, giving me a look that said he'd read it, I unfolded it, and began to read.

"_Hey baby, I'm sorry you had to see this, but I know you've seen worse. There was something I've never told you, mostly because we spent all our time together having sex, but I was- no I am sick. (I know it's 'am' because I'm not dead so I'm not past tense yet.) Anyway, Aloysius, there is something wrong with my brain, it's deteriorating into nothing and I just didn't want to die in a hospital. And you know me; things have to be on my terms or not at all. I've known since we met, but I didn't want to burden you and at the time Aloysius, I hadn't decided how to end it. But when you came over last night, I'd been told that I had less than a month. It was good to see you one last time, be with you one last time. I'm sorry I never said anything baby. Forgive me, please._

_I'll be waiting on the Otherside Aloysius. Love Kellie."_

She'd used her full first name, lord, oh lord. The paper fell from my hand and I walked the rest of the way into the bathroom. She was stretched out in her bathtub, still clothed, a large hunting knife lay on the side of the tub and she held in her arms a stuffed black and silver wolf. I had given her both for her birthday earlier in the year. Her wrists were cut open, the wounds mirroring a scar I had on my left forearm, I'd tried to kill myself too, years ago, but a friend had saved me. No one could've saved her.

I knelt beside the tub and put my hand gently over her own; her hair –green yesterday had been washed and it was the first time I had seen its natural color. It was pale brown, more like an ashy blonde, long and soft looking. I brought her hand to my lips; I wanted to tell her I loved her too but couldn't. I was choking on the tears I couldn't shed and I squeezed her hand in mine. Thankful that rigor mortis hadn't set in and she wasn't cold yet.

"I forgive you baby."

…

I used my cell phone in the car as I drove back home.

"Hello?" A deep male voice answered.

"Brett?"

"Yeah, Pendergast. Do you know what time it is?" He snapped.

"Kellie killed herself." I told him.

"Shit," He breathed and for a moment the line was silent. "You knew she was sick right? You know why she did it?"

I felt a lump in my throat as I fought back the tears; she'd told him and not me. It hurt inside, I was cold, and the audeur had left me. My only protection against this cold, cold hell night was gone.

"She…she left a note for me explaining it. How long did she know?"

"She found out at the end of high school, Pendergast, she's happy wherever she's gone. It will be okay now, she'll be okay now."

I didn't care. "I know,"

"You need to see me?" Brett asked.

"No," I said and hung up.


	5. Chapters 8 & final

**Author's Note- this story is tinged all over with Laurell K. Hamilton's concept of the audeur, sex magic. If it offends you then don't read. If it doesn't offend you, enjoy. Also, this story evolves ****torture**** and ****suicide****, you were forewarned. Pendergast, Proctor and Diogenes belong to Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Kel and Brett belong to me. DISCLAIMER. **

…Part 8

Diogenes felt the change in his brother's demeanor the second he walked through the door, Proctor shadowing him. Aloysius leaned back against the wall, hands hanging at his side, one holding the wicked knife.

"Remove the chains Proctor," He said.

The shackles were loosened, then removed completely and Diogenes lay on the ground. Afraid to move, brother was dangerous now, radiating a deadly aura and Diogenes didn't possess –at that moment- the bravado to piss him off.

Proctor backed up into the dark of the room as Aloysius stepped forward. "Get up brother,"

Diogenes didn't move, just looked up at him through his lashes.

"Get up."

"No." His lips were numb.

Aloysius snapped into action, kicked him in the chest and then dragged him to his feet. Diogenes held onto his wrists, his legs had given out long ago and Aloysius' angry hands, inches from his neck were all that were keeping him upright.

His brother's pupils were pinpoints, the irises spiking into them and Diogenes suddenly knew the audeur had left him, leaving him colder than either brother was use to; he let his hands touch Aloysius'. Felt the ice cold skin under his own and knew he was about to die.

…

Brother's hands slid over my own, feeling my skin, and I knew he was feeling the cold that was spreading all over my body. His eyes were wide and his breathing quickened. I stared into his eyes before I struck him across the face while still holding him up with one hand.

I pushed him back against the wall and started hitting him, at first he raise his arms as if to strike me back but I didn't give him enough time to land a hit of his own. When he fell to his knees, unable to stand I started to kick at him, his sides, his back and his legs. He collapsed with his back against the wall and before he could curl into a ball I kicked him in the chest, stomach and groin. He never made a sound other than his breath wheezing out.

I couldn't get the image of Kel out of my head. I kept seeing our last night together, the night we met, the first time I fed the audeur with her, meeting Brett and finding out they were friends. The last image was always the same, she was in the tub, there wasn't any water- just her blood- and she was holding that stuffed wolf, the one I'd given her. And it hadn't looked silver to me. Her hair; soft, long and natural brown, not one of the screwball colors I'd grown used to over the three years I had known her.

I kicked Diogenes again and fell to my knees; the tears were finally falling freely. I was finally crying and I looked at my brother. His eyes were closed, his mouth open slightly and blood fell from his lips. I shook him.

"Brother?" He neither spoke nor moved. "Diogenes?" Still nothing and I realized he'd stopped breathing.

I pulled him away from the wall, turning him onto his back and flattening him out. I shook him again and then checked his pulse. Nothing; and now the tears were falling for more than one reason. I sobbed, my hands on him, bunching his shirt in my fingers.

"Sir?" Proctor asked, coming to my side.

"What've I done?" I asked myself, I pulled back looking at brother. "Brother?" I said again.

Proctor reached over me and checked my brother's pulse as I had done, then he took his hand away and tried to pull me from my brother's body. I wouldn't let him.

"S- Aloysius, he's dead, he's gone."

"No," My hands were shaking. I laid my head on Diogenes' shoulder and called out to every ounce of magic I still had in me. The audeur wasn't just sex magic, it could be used to heal, and that was how I planned to use it now.

…Part 9

I keep wondering the same thing; I'm wondering this 'same thing' now as I stand in the first cemetery I've been near in a long time. A white coffin is lowered into the ground in front of me; Kellie's body being laid to rest. She had wanted to be cremated but her father- the grey haired man in front- wouldn't allow it, he'd told me that she needed to be buried next to her family. It was tradition; it was important to them and that if her spirit were watching –as he was sure she was- that Kellie would understand and even agree with his wishes.

Whatever made her happy, I guess. Brett stood to my side, for once he'd pulled his long, blond curls into a ponytail; it suited him rather well. Like me, he wore all black but he'd added his own touch- a black leather trench coat. "Kellie loved this thing," He'd told me on the plane; I decided I liked it too. I could imagine her wearing it, the tail dragging on the ground as she walked. It was a pleasing mental image, but I didn't have the strength any more to smile. Mental or physical strength? I'm not sure, both maybe. Yes, both; I was leaning against Brett's shoulder for more than one reason.

The act of saving my brother had nearly killed me and I had nearly failed to revive him in the processes. Why did I even try? I don't know; I couldn't let him die. No matter how you looked at it, Diogenes and I need each other, we always had and I think we always will. For now I banish those thoughts, I wanted to think about Kellie, about the Otherside she promised to wait on, I wanted happy thoughts. But they escaped me, like Diogenes, they always had.

Brett and I both dropped a pink rose; I could see the tears on his face and I wondered if he saw mine or if I was even crying at all. I couldn't tell; I was too numb. The pastor finished the prayer and Kellie's father was the first to drop dirt onto the coffin, another tradition it seems. Amen folks.

END


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